Reddit mentions: The best 12v batteries

I know your question was about water, but I'd like to rebut that article in general. I'll make sure to focus on water for you though. (TL;DR: I see The_Prepared is already here, and the article you already found is my suggestion.)

Here, I shall make some useful alternate suggestions:

Article Title: Well, I see the lies have already begun. Hey, I know of an article with almost the same name that's actually useful!

• Pedal power fail socket: Dumb. For that price, buy a solar panel, a decent charge controller, and a battery. Find a nerd if you aren't one, hook them up (safely, standard internet advice disclaimer here), and you get power without needing to pedal, and also storage. If you want to charge your phone, use a 12v adapter, and if you need 120v power for something, you can get an inverter. It's pretty easy to hook it all up, there are a lot of resources, search for "DIY solar generator". Here's one I made for a good friend. This will be about a hundred times as useful to you, at only a slightly higher price.
  
  
• Crappy GMRS radios: You can tell this article is BS because they actually think the "23 mile range" claim has some kind of validity. Emergency comms for preppers generally means a Ham radio license, those walkie talkies are only marginally better than toys. All the same, they're cheap, and can't hurt. I have a pair.
  
  
• Cell phone: It amuses me that the article states "we have a strong suspicion", thus confirming they did no actual journalism or research . In the event of a disaster, 2G will be exactly as non existent as it is now. They also chose the Nokia because of a meme! What's their next memetic indestructible suggestion? A Wiimote? Gamecube? At least you could bludgeon an intruder to death with a Gamecube. My suggestion: Use your regular phone, because it works with the existing infrastructure. Text messages tend to work better in disasters, because high call volume stresses the network, and texts are a tiny amount of data. Also, stay off the phone unless you really need to use it, because someone else might be in a life threatening situation and need to call for help.
  
  
• Ultimate survival kit: I disagree with premade survival kits because they use low quality items, most of them won't actually be useful, and if you build your own, you have more familiarity with the equipment and usage. If you want a pre made kit, look at the contents, buy it in pieces, and test every piece before you put it in your kit. At least then you'll know how it all works, and be familiar with exactly whats in there.
  
  
• Glowy keychain thing: I mean, i like glowy things, but the only real use for this is if you want to take a photo and post it on /r/EDC and then get flak from them because it's not even tritium, which incidentally doesn't need charging and would work far better for the purpose the article suggests anyway.
  
  
• Waterbricks: No argument here, but The Prepared has a really awesome article about this and I'm not going to type words that they have already covered in great detail. (I see they've already found this thread, anyway.)
  
  
• Condoms: Pretty fair point there. They expire, so rotate them like any other perishable prep item. I'd say probably stock conventional ones because no one wants a hurricane baby, and some unlubricated ones for assorted other purposes, but don't plan on using them for stuff. If you need something waterproof, do not think "I'll just put a condom on it when I need to!". If you can think of it in advance, figure out a proper solution, and leave the condoms for in a pinch fixes you didn't anticipate.
  
  
• Hand crank radio: Sure I guess? I'd rather have a radio that uses rechargeable batteries, and then use the solar rig from my first bullet point to charge the batteries. Anything with a hand crank will put out a really tiny amount of power and requires you to effort. Once you stop cranking, you're running off of the way-too-tiny battery in the unit, whereas solar is a huge amount of power that requires no effort, which you can then use to charge lots of batteries and then just swap them. Or run the radio off of a 12v adapter directly. For the radio itself, You want AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio at a minimum, and an argument could be made for shortwave, because it can cover huge distances (I'm in central Alberta, Canada, and can easily pick up Radio Havana Cuba on shortwave). Again, a Ham license and some equipment of that sort would also be useful if you want to get into that.
  
  
• MRE's: Sure, though ask a soldier friend what they think of them, and what they do to your guts. I'm personally going to stick with Mountain House or similar. Also, there's an article from The Prepared on this topic, too. (Hey mods, just so you know I'm not paid or coerced in any way to suggest this site. I gain nothing from them, it's just the best information I've found, and it's convenient to link them instead of type a whole lot.)
  
  
• As seen on TV "Tactical" Flashlight: No! Ask nicely in /r/flashlight, or pick something that meets your needs from Here. Thrunite tends to be inexpensive, high quality, nice features, and nice light, if you're looking for a brand suggestion. Fenix and Nitecore are also solid choices.
  
  
• 1911: Limiting this one because too much politics and heated debate. I love 1911s, but .45 is a bit big for an infrequent shooter, but a 9mm clone like an STI Spartan, or perhaps a Jericho (Baby Eagle) in 9mm, or a CZ, would work nicely.
  
  
• Casper Mattress: Wait, that's an ad, never mind. I couldn't really tell the difference.

First, You need to add up all the energy youre going to use in an average day. This is critical and no one else can really do it for you.

Theres a couple of ways to do this. You can buy a kill-a-watt meter and plug a power strip into it and then run everything you would want to run in a day off of it. This is it on amazon It will tell you how many watts everything has used.

Or you can go to a solar calculator on the web.....type in all the things you will use and what their rated wattages are. If you dont know them you can find them ..usually...on a label on the back near the power supply of each appliance. Or just google and use the larger number of their examples. Type in their wattage and how long you will use them. This too will tell you how many watts youre likely to use during a day.

Second, you need to size your solar array and your battery bank.

Lets say in your calculations you find that you use 2000w a day (2kw) that would be about 60kw a month if you want to compare it with your electric bill (which is pretty low but not unrealistic since you arent using a/c or any large appliances). For solar panels the math is pretty simple. If you get 4 hours of direct sunshine you would need 500w of solar panels to get your 2000w for the day under ideal conditions and assuming no loss. (never plan for ideal conditions and never assume zero loss but you get the idea) If you think youre going to get 8 (youre not) then you just need 250w....and so on.

You will probably never achieve this, I would shoot for 60% more solar on the bus than you think need on paper. For this example I would do my best to get 750 to 800 watts of panels. It is fair complicated and very build specific to try and calculate how much loss you will incur in your wiring and in panel placement. Since you can only have two panels the simplest and most elegant solution is to just buy panels that cover as much of the space as you have left as possible.

Panels also are never as efficient as they are the first year. If you size perfectly this year in a year or two you will be undersized.

For batteries you have to consider amp hours. Watts are amps * volts. Batteries are usually 12 v. Lets continue our example that you use 2000w a day and want to have enough reserve power to cover a full day. 2000w at 12v is 167 amps. An amp hour is one amp or one hour. We can take our 167 amps and know that you need 167 amp hours because youre using it over time. Im oversimplifying but thats the smallest amp/hour rating that will suffice. A good rule of thumb is to never drain lead acid batteries below 50% so now you need a 330 amp hours battery bank at the minimum. As an example that means you would need between 3 and 4 of these For lithium ion I think its 80% so thats 210 amp hours of lithium ion.

Your battery will never be as good as it is the first week so in a year's time neither of these banks will provide enough reserve energy if you just do the minimum required right off the bat. You will have to overbuild to account for this or add later.

If you want to work backwards then its a little less elegant. Lets say your coffee maker is 5 amps but its rated at 110 V thats 550 watts. Lets assume you use it for 15 minutes so thats ~138 watt hours. Your inverter will need to draw (138 watts divided by 12 V) about 11.5 amp hours out of your battery. If you have a 100 ah battery bank, that gives you 50 ah effective use...that 15 minutes of coffee making just used over 20 percent of your battery.

Charging your house batteries off the alternator can be very simple. This is what I used Put a switch in the cab and run a wire to the small terminal. When the small pole is energized it will connect the two larger poles. Wire one pole to one battery bank and the other pole to the other battery bank, use thick wire for the large poles 2/0. When the small pole is not energized the two poles will not be connected. When you want one bank to charge the other bank turn your switch on. When you want one bank to not drain the other bank, turn your switch off.

Im partial to this brand but you may find a cheaper one.

There are dozens of gauges that will tell you your battery voltages. Here is one example if you have everything wired correctly when you flip your switch to connect your two battery banks you should see their voltages come together.

> I want a brushed motor because that is the old kind that would be period specific technology.

Kind of; the first practical DC motor was built in 1886 and Tesla patented his induction motor in 1887. The modern AC induction motor was patented in 1889 and by 1900 they had surpassed DC motors in stationary applications.

By the time the Model T came out induction motors were more common than DC motors, but you're right that moving motors (cars, trains) were all DC until the 50s. The reason is that DC motors are the only motors that can be well-controlled by varying their voltage. That meant they could be controlled by rheostats and variable voltage. If they were focused on efficiency they'd have taps that would connect more and more batteries in series for a higher voltage.

Taps and rheostats are gonna make for an unpleasant driving experience, but if that's worth it to you then go for it. If you can show off the end of the motor in a cool way then that would be awesome, but do be aware that the best case efficiency of a setup like this is <50%. That's using a commercial, modern motor. I'd recommend you check this paper out, it lays out different motor efficiencies.

> I want to make a simple brushed permanent magnet motor like this I would fabricate everything myself with my cousin who works at a local machine shop and can use it on weekends.

Magnets are the easy part, unfortunately. The steel is much more important and a lot harder to get. You can get laminations made but that'll run you into $XX,XXX pretty easily IIRC. Doesn't hurt to ask though.

If you're considering using a normal low-carbon steel, don't. The drag at 1 Tesla (probably less than your magnets) and 3000 RPM is around 600 watts/kg to hysteresis alone. You'll be burning 25-75 horsepower just to cruise, the motor would need liquid cooling and a car-sized radiator, and that isn't even counting the other losses. You need a real core to make a motor like this.

> I'm asking about what kind of specs are needed for a motor to get about 50hp at around 600RPM.

I don't have time to do the math right now, but that would require some actual design work. Motors prefer to run in the 1000s of RPM, particularly DC motors. Low speeds like that are better for induction motors or even switched-DC motors. A slow DC motor would have to be very, very large.

> I only want a 10 mile range because that is plenty for my daily driving.

Modern electric cars get ~300 Wh/mile, but this setup would run closer to 1000-1600 Wh/mile. You'll also want a large buffer capacity to avoid sulfation, so ~1500 Ah is probably reasonable. Using these batteries that's around $2550 and 960 lbs of batteries.

The question is unrelated to so-called "solar generators".

My biased PoV: Optima's spiral design is great for lots of surface area, but IMO not great for deep cycling. Cool? Yes. Sexy? Yeah. But they are rare in RVs/campers for good reason.

If it were me I'd add alternator charging to the mix; that and the 100w solar would give the existing batts a better chance in life. See more on this at the bottom.

Charing the phones and other gear when there is excess power will keep those loads from ganging up on the battery at night.

> the low voltage shut off kicked on twice and the battery went down to 12.3 volts

I assume this means the fridge's low voltage disconnect (LVD) shut the fridge off twice. You may be able to config it to cut off at a lower voltage. I am not particularly worried about the 12.3v bottom itself. Under load the bank voltage could sag below the 12.1-12.2v rule of thumb and return above that when the compressor quit running or whatever.

The 50% depth of discharge rule of thumb is a compromise between useful capacity and number of lifetime cycles. You can push below this without significant damage if you can get current back into the battery sooner rather than later. Hence the battery isolator ($25-$100) mentioned above.

If you had the isolator and were disciplined about keeping the suitacase deployed and aligned, I'd say run the snot out of the existing batts until you figure out where you are going next.

Although they are $$$, I agree with /u/211logos that LFP are a better fit for your use pattern than lead-acid. You are currently getting 37.5Ah of usable capacity for $9.12/Ah. A 50Ah LFP would give 40Ah usable capacity for $12.50/Ah. BUT the LFP would last several times longer than the Optimas resulting in much lower cost over time.

Is your Optima taken care of in between these 10 annual trips? (ie, fully charged then floating)

It's actually not that expensive.

Well, expensive is relative, but you can get it done for a few grand, and you'll have a kick-ass electrical system to boot.


Get the 400 watt kit from renogy (650), the 200 watt kit (450), 4 of these batteries, and wire them up. Insulate van well and add a ~$100 wall unit (5000 btus, energy star) through a rear door.

all told you're looking at about $2000. You can get the components for those kits individually on amazon for cheaper (save a few hundred), or find alternatives that do the same thing without being as shiny (save 500+).

As a rule of thumb, 600 watts of solar to run at all. 800 or so to give yourself some leeway. It might not keep it at 70 degrees exactly, but it'll keep it comfortable enough, and when the temps cool down you'll have enough juice for anything short of an arc welder.

2k for an essential comfort doesn't seem too bad to me. It's an investment, but can definitely be done.

I think those estimates are based on no/shitty insulation. RV's are, as a general rule, insulated like crap (~3-5r). You can easily get 10r in every direction in a Promaster (unless you're super tall)

1. wein cell battery is the modern replacement for this camera although I had mine converted to use a Varta 625 battery when I had it repaired. apparently they last much longer. just remember to switch it off "A" when the camera isn't in use to conserve battery.
   
   
2. I've taken off the top of mine in an attempt to diagnose issues and it was pretty easy to dis and reassemble the cover/film advance leaver. I did not go any further than that. Havent tried to clean the viewfinder or anything either, that might be based on how good of shape it's in and if its worth the effort.
   
   
3. There are a lot of guides on youtube, I haven't tried it but I know you're going to need a spanner to do it.
   
   hopefully some of that was helpful, I know it doesn't answer everything, but it's what I know from my experience. outside of that I'm not sure and wouldn't want to lead you astray
   
   The canonet is a great little camera, a little over hyped but still pretty great, enjoy it!

That's a great deal if the camera works. The SRT 102 has a match needle meter system, but you can operate the camera fully manually without a battery in it, as it is a fully mechanical shutter and aperture system.

In terms of what to check for for the SRT-102 specifically.

1. About half way through the production (or early on, I'm not sure of the details), Minolta stopped making them with the mirror lockup option. If that's important for you, make sure the one you're looking at has it.
   
   
2. Check to see if the mirror is stuck. As mentioned, if your model has a lockup, make sure that isn't engaged. If the mirror sticks after shooting, it may be that the bumper is degraded.
   
   
3. Shutter issues - the SRT102 has a cloth shutter, so make sure it's in good condition. If you have access to the camera before buying it, I'd highly recommend you shoot blanks (without film with the back open) to verify the magnitude of the shutter speeds (ie, 1/8 isn't the same sound as 1/250 isn't the same as 1/1000). Also look to see if the entire shutter curtain operates properly.
   
   
4. Check the light sealing, as it may need to be replaced.
   
   
5. Check the depth of field preview to make sure it's smooth and functioning. The SRT-102's works on a toggle. Push the tab in, and it will preview the DoF and button remains depressed. Press it again to release it (kind of like a ball point pen).
   
   
6. If the camera is mechanically sound (shutter is fine, film advance is smooth and not grindy, DoF preview is good) then I'd say 90$ is a great price for it, especially with that Rokkor-X f/1.4 nifty fifty. Is the glass clean?
   
   
7. If you care about the meter, verify its function both by using/bringing a mercury replacement cell and using the "B.C." function on the bottom of the camera. Also look through the glass to see if your exposure is approximately right (use sunny 16 or an external meter to verify). Also, this is a good opportunity to check if the battery terminals are mucky and shitty.

At that budget level, you're going to be looking at more budget oriented radios from the likes of Baofeng, TYT, QYT, Leixn, and the other assorted Chinese manufacturers. The one you mentioned is not a bad choice, so let's run with that...

• Radio - $128.86
  
  
• 8Ah SLA battery - $17.77
  
  -or-
  
  
• 20Ah SLA battery if you don't mind the extra size and weight - $38.00
  
  
• Battery charger - $21.85
  
  
• You'll need an antenna. I'm guessing you don't have a vehicle to attach a mobile antenna too, so I'd recommend something that attaches directly to the back of the radio, like this antenna. I actually have one and it's surprisingly decent for the price. - $12.99
  
  
• You'll need a right angle PL-259 to BNC adapter to properly attach this antenna to your radio - $7.49
  
  side note: For a mag mount antenna, the Tram 1185 is a good cheap option at $21.63
  
  additional side note: Neither one of these antennas I mentioned is tri band capable, they're dual band 2m/70cm only. Tri band 2m/1.25/70cm antennas are considerably more expensive. Unless there's regular 1.25m activity in your area, you may wish to reconsider your need for having this band.
  
  Total: $188.96 or $209.19 if you choose the 20Ah battery option.
  
  Use whatever is left over for a case. A nice Pelican will probably consume the rest of your budget. Or you could go down to your local sporting goods store and browse the handgun cases there. You'll probably be able to find something good for $15-30 and have a few bucks left over. I found this 4 pistol case at my local Sportsmans Warehouse, it's cheap, reaonably well built, and is a pretty good size. I can fit a small army of handheld radios and associated paraphernalia in mine, so it should be big enough to hold a mobile rig plus battery.
  

These guys are a great resource to learn about solar. It's geared toward RVs, but because they aren't tech people, the information is very digestible which I like. This video shows them with a 6 panel array drawing 45amps during the day at peak hours.

Chances are, if you go a-la-carte with something like these portable solar panels as a base, and ran a few of these deep cycle batteries in parallel, you'll save some money and be able to better tune the system to your needs. You'll still need a solar controller and if you want 120v plugs, an inverter, but it should be a fun project.

No problem! I'm also an aspiring off-gridder, both learning how to generate power and most importantly to preserve it. :)

I had a bunch of cables and connectors so i was able to reuse some stuff but here are the main components, excluding battery and panel for now. Shipping costs are included.

• 10A 12/24V PWM charge controller with built in 5V buck converter (2x USB connectors) and LCD screen: $6.50 ^(I can't even....)
  
  
• DC 100V 10A Voltmeter Ammeter: $2.21 ("bonus", to monitor panel output. Has built in shunt).
  
  
  
• Switch with USB headers: $1.15 each.
  
  
  
• 4.5-7V USB voltmeter/ammeter: $1.13
  
  
  
• 5V LED bulbs w/ cable and USB header: $1.42 apiece.
  
  
  
  
• Chinese paper lanterns (optional... lol): From $0.99, all sizes and colors. :D
  
  
  
  
  
  About 17 bucks (2 bulbs/switches), assuming you can scavenge some cables and already have duct tape/heat-shrink tube. Now for the most critical parts, the battery and the panel itself, you can cheapen out on eBay as well but i'd advice against it. I'd go to Amazon instead. Or, maybe, your local auto repair shop can give you an old car battery for free... it never hurts to ask. :)
  
  
• 10W "ECO-WORTHY" Poly panel, 5y warranty: $19.99
  
  
• 12V 7.2Ah SLA Battery: $17.99
  
  Mounting the panel is a matter of creativity. :) (I used some Pattex "No More Nails" i had lying around)
  
  Now, let's open the calculator. Excluding some cable, maybe alligator clips, duct tape, zip ties and all that, the total cost of the system would be $52.94 w/ two bulbs and switches. And that's for a 10W system... i'm on 5W. I'd have gone a bit bigger but i already had the panel.
  
  It really isn't that expensive to have a small PV setup nowadays... the problem is usually finding a good place to mount the panels. And if you live in the city you're pretty much SOL. :/
  
  Hope this helps, and best of lucks in you future endeavors!
  
  ------------------------
  
  (edited, i keep finding the same stuff even cheaper...)

First off, to answer your question:

That's almost certainly a flooded battery. It's probably a, "maintenance free" flooded battery. This simply means of course, that it's a piece of junk because you can never add water to it. It'll still off-gas like a normal flooded one though. So not good for indoor use really.

​

Second, you don't want those batteries:

You really need something that's actually deep cycle, not one of those 'hybrid' types used for starting a motor and running a few lights on a boat. You can tell because it states the "CCA" or Cold Cranking Amps. This is a starter battery, not a true deep cycle. It's also a very cheap one, which doesn't bode well for it's performance either in your application.

I'd advise you return those batteries and buy some good, true deep cycle, AGM batteries.

​

This is more in line with what you want, most likely:

Universal UB121000-45978 12v 100AH Deep Cycle AGM Battery 12V

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/

​

EDIT:

So, here's an (well, maybe) easy test: Pick up the battery and shake it around. If the battery 'sloshes' like it's full of water, then it's flooded for sure. If it doesn't... well, no guarantee either way still.

Note, this will take quite a bit of strength, careful not to hurt yourself.

​

EDIT 2:

So, I've called the local Advance Auto Parts here in my town, and they THINK it's an AGM battery... though the lady didn't sound too sure. Still looking for a data sheet though, that's the only thing I'd trust at the moment without seeing the battery myself.

Thank you so much! That is incredibly helpful information.

Hypothetically if I were planning to spend about $700 on the solar setup and batteries do you think I would be smarter to save a bit of money on the controller by going PWM rather and MPPT and put it into an extra panel? I could do 3 panels, and 2 of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00S1RT58C/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488126321&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=12v+solar+battery AGM 12v 100ah batteries. Price would be similar to the golf cart batteries. Would this setup be an improvement?

Also found a good deal on a DC fridge that consumes about 4.2amps which at 12v would be about 50watts and should theoretically be awesome for my setup right?

Do you think

I was actually looking at a 12v 5aH alarm battery that fits the dimensions of the remaining space of the box. it's an SLA but I wish I could find a gel cell with the same dimensions. As for the panel, I've settle on not being able to run the amp on it, but I am pretty certain I can fit a big enough panel for a trickle charge that will at least extend the life of the battery when the lid is open. To fully recharge in a reasonable amount of time I guess I'll just hook it up to my motorcycle tender.

Key here is space for the battery and being able to fit it in the lid for the panel, kind of limits my options but I've been enjoying the learning experience of learning about solar and refreshing on some basics.

With a budget of $400, I'd start with a small Alpicool for around $200. That's a good price on those, and they sip around 1/2 amp/hour@12v, meaning you'll need at least 36Ah of battery (.5Ax24hx3d).

Bump to 50Ah of usable power, for some wiggle room, and you can pick up something like this for $170.

The only other thing you'll need is wiring. A kit like this has most of what you need, toss in a cheap manual isolator to keep it from draining your starter battery, and you're left with a few crimp connectors and maybe a socket (might as well get a kinda-nice one).

That puts you $10 over-budget, but it'll do everything you asked for and more, and be a nice little setup to expand someday with solar or inverter or whatever. If you can score a cheaper second-hand battery initially, that'll help budget-wise, but I wouldn't bother skimping on anything else except maybe the 12v socket. The one I linked is just a nice feature to have USB and volt meter built-in, so you can reduce cord/adapter clutter if you like, and have an idea where you're at on power reserves, monitoring it manually. Downgrading that to a simple, "dumb" socket would put you within the $400 budget.

Had fun building this with my 11 yo as a gift for college freshman. Here's what we used:

8" sched 40 PVC pipe

PVC cement

Talentcell 12v lithium battery

2.1 Bluetooth receiver / amp

12v to 24v booster

Skar 8" dual voice coil sub wired as 4ohm

Infiity 6.5" reference speakers 8ohm

Mats to isolate 6.5" speakers, and this

Passive raidators (semi-sealed enclosure), and this

Rifle swivels and sling, and this

Mounting feet

Clamps for main plate

Finished it in a truck bed liner spray in black on round PVC surfaces and a metallic gray on the faceplate.

One of the tricks was to create a flat faceplate from the PVC by cutting the 8" pipe section, cooking 15 mins at 300F, then flatenning it out with weight / pressure. Next time, I would prob sub a different material for the faceplate just to make it easy.

If I could do it over again, I'd use a thinner PVC pipe. Standard Sched 40 in 8" weights a lot... 5lb / foot plus very heavy end caps that I used to surround both sides. Probably 20 lbs of PVC alone.

Also, struggle to get the thing to be truly enclosed. Significant air escapes around the perimeter of the faceplate despite applying clamp force and a bit of dynamat.

Sounds great though! 18 yo kid loved it! Lots of tight bass and this amp puts out good sound with the right power/amps feeding it. Sorry not an audiophile so not testing results to share.

I'm going to try to make this easy for you. Here is a setup that will provide you with some basic solar power. Don't expect to run your laptop 24/7 , but this will give you plenty of juice to get a few creature comforts in place and you'd probably be able to keep a business class laptop going all day with it.

• 100w Solar panel, charge controller $167: https://www.amazon.com/HQST-Polycrystalline-Display-Charge-Controller/dp/B01GVVE2WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496765420&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=solar+panel+kit&psc=1
  
• small battery box $13: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000B12YQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• 35AH sealed battery to fit in box $64: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K8E0WAG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Power inverter with USB ports $37: https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Power-Inverter-Adapter-Charging/dp/B00UFERZKO/ref=pd_sim_86_2?
  
• solar cable connectors $8: https://www.amazon.com/Sun-YOBA-Pairs-Female-Connectors/dp/B00A8TRKJW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496763777&sr=8-3&keywords=mc4+connector
  
• 100ft of cable to use as needed $30: https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-GL22132-landscape-lighting-protected/dp/B00378K8XG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1496763822&sr=8-6&keywords=low%2Bvoltage%2Bcable&th=1
  
  Total cost is under $400
  
  
• Find a conveniently hidden and inconspicuous place to hide the battery and charge controller. Mount them both securely. Make sure you still have access to this space as needed to monitor power.
  
• Run a line from the battery terminals to the battery ports on the charge controller.
  
• Mount the solar panel to the roof using the provided brackets. Make sure you seal that shit up to avoid springing leaks. Run the power from the solar panel to your inverter and hook up the cable to the solar ports on the charge controller. Seal that shit too.
  
• Mount the power inverter wherever you find it convenient. Run a line to the charge controller and mount it to the load ports.
  
  Try to avoid leaving exposed metal wiring at your connections and make sure you have all the positives and negatives matched up and you now have solar power.
  
  When putting this together, I opted for decent starter solar panel, charge controller, and battery. I skipped details such as multiple outlets, custom lighting, and vent fans because that will add more complication as you're wiring multiple things. You could always upgrade to those later.
  
  Down the road, depending on your needs you may want to upgrade to a 100AH battery (it's much larger and heavier so keep that in mind), add a 2-3 more of the 100W solar panels, and add a vent fan and LED lighting.
  
  Keep in mind that heating, cooling, and refrigeration will not be viable with this setup. To run a good fridge/freezer setup like this one, you'd need probably 200AH of storage and 300W of solar panels to be safe.
  

Here you go:

Main 1/2hp Pump
I initially had a Zoeller main pump which lasted for about 8 years until the "built-in" float switch died. I could have bought a new switch for it but the pump itself was old and I didn't want to risk it. I read reviews for the new Zoellers, Rigids, and Waynes and decided on the Wayne pump.

Backup Unit
I originally had a Watchdog unit which was 7 yrs old... I went with the Wayne backup based off of Amazon reviews when compared to others. The system includes a great backup pump compared to the crappy Watchdog unit.

Battery
Sorry, the battery was $139 shipped (not $100 as I mentioned). It's a sealed battery as well = no maintenance.

High Water Alarm I bought this inexpensive water sensor which comes with a ~6ft wire sensor

Check Valve: I also stayed away from the metal check valves because my old Zoeller check valve literally rusted apart from what I guess was from the humidity (my sump pump is located in a narrow closet). I went with a fully plastic/rubber one that my house flipping friend got from a plumbing supply store. I have the battery unit outside the closet because of this humidity build up.

Question
Which dedicated float switch are you using? One with a "rod"? Do you plan on using zip ties to hold the switch in the up/on position on your new pump?

Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck.

sounds above my iq grade but a real stellar idea...

So I could get this: https://www.amazon.com/EXP1250-Terminals-Chamberlain-LiftMaster-Replacement/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=zg_bs_389574011_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4KS108G7HZRV4KP2DW1J

and something like this: https://www.cabelas.com/product/Battery-Tender-reg/734156.uts?productVariantId=3889810&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03913618&rid=20&ds_rl=1252079&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_ZrXBRDXARIsAA8KauSl6RB8_k3tjvSa-RMkw1E3QEnAKG3qsLVUDwcGoMs5PBzu1WslmZIaAmD2EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

and something like this: https://www.ebay.com/p/12v-to-9v-Dc-dc-Buck-Converter-Step-Down-Module-Power-Supply-Voltage-Regulator-D/1468959390?iid=183113006956&chn=ps

Not sure I understand the best battery to pick given I don't know how to calculate or predict the necessary amperage rating...

would the order go: wall outlet -> battery tender -> battery -> 12v to 9v converter -> to amp board??

Also thank you for your time and for responding!

12V car batteries are everywhere, if your bike-charger 'fails' you can always use a local battery with jumper cables for your projector.
To power your projector, you can use a 12Vdc-19Vdc-5A converter like on this page: http://www.aliexpress.com/popular/12v-dc-to-19v-dc-converter.html
(Or maybe the 10A version for better heat dissipation).

To charge your(any) 12V battery from your scooter-motor (or solar panel), a 12V-10A battery charger like this will (very probably) work:
http://www.aliexpress.com/mppt-charge-controller_reviews.html
This will limit the cyclists energy to ~150W, which is a 'serious hobby' level, but they also have a 5A unit, that would be better suited for a 6/12Ah battery.

Battery:
for your 75W, at 12.5Vbatt, that draws 6A, normally for a lead-acid battery a C10 rating is used to maximize life expectancy (discharge in 10 hours, charge during 12 hours), a 60Ah battery would be needed.
You could use a 12Ah (AGM) battery (or even a 6Ah), "deep cycle" is strongly recommended: http://www.amazon.com/ML12-12-12AH-DEEP-CYCLE-RECHARGEABLE-BATTERY/dp/B00BWVVOTW
It will discharge to 75%(50%) which is good, but the high current will reduce the number of charge/discharge-cycles from 1000-ish to maybe 200(100)-ish.

Wein Cell makes a great replacement for the original mercury battery. I'll provide the link below. The battery is the only one that is accurate, and is not too costly. I don't know how long the battery lasts, I hear it usually goes for 3 months before the battery wains. The camera can also shoot fully manual, with no battery in the camera at all. It's very handy for learning to shoot film, and also if the battery runs out you're not completely out of luck. I'd highly recommend the camera, I found it for $70 on eBay in very good condition, only needed new light seals. I love my camera, definitely look into it. http://www.amazon.com/WeinCell-MRB625-Replacement-Battery-PX625/dp/B00009VQJ7

I am going to echo others who suggested that it might be a good idea to prepare a way (or several ways!) to heat food without fire. No point in storing all that rice if you have no plans to cook it. For a bug-in grid-down situation, my plan involves a set of 12 volt deep cycle batteries (which will become part of my battery bank when I eventually save enough money to go solar) and a 400 watt inverter as a power source for a small slow cooker (90 watt) or a small rice cooker (300 watt). What I like about this system is:

It's very effective for boiling water, cooking stored grain, canned food, etc.
It is very quiet, just a little bit of a hum from the inverter fan, unlike a noisy generator, which could attract uninvited guests.
Can safely be used indoors without risk of CO fumes, although you do want to be very careful with any sort of lead acid battery - keep it in a protective container.

Only drawback I see is you do need access to clean drinking water (for cooking and/or clean-up afterwards) and you need to keep lead acid batteries charged or they lose power over time. Stored and maintained properly, this could be a good prep for folks in apartments.

They're fucked, must've used the wrong charger for them, or the charger malfunctioned. They won't explode, but I doubt they will be useful for more than like 2 miles.

Good news: It's not too terribly expensive to replace them: https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP12200-12V-20AH-Lead_Acid_Battery/dp/B00KC39BE6

Though I'd 100% upgrade to LiFePo4 batteries instead, a drop in upgrade no modifications needed: https://www.lithiumion-batteries.com/products/12v-20ah-lithium-ion-battery/

LiFePo is superior Wh/kg and will last you pretty much forever.

I’m not an electronics expert, but I’m pretty sure you can use a pretty small 12V batter for basic fish finders. Do some research into something like this... ExpertPower EXP12120 12 Volt 12 Amp Rechargeable battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A82A2ZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lkFKBbP4QQ48T

If you want a single battery, get a 100ah lithium iron phosphate... its gonna cost you though...

AGM batteries are only useful for 50% of their advertised AH rating vs like 80%+ for Lifepo, also lifepo are lighter weight, and have more recharge cycles.

I run 2 of these right now to get 100 useful AH, and I am hopeful that in ~3 years when its time to get new batteries the cost of LifePo will have come down b/c they really are vastly superior in every way.

I'd really like to find something that can stand on its own without a sub, since none of my groomsmen will have a sub. Other than the Sprites, it looks like the rest of those were designed to be paired w/ a sub.

I saw the Sprites original design was a boombox, which I thought was pretty cool. I think that would be the most practical form that my groomsmen would use. Then I got to thinking, if it's going to be a boombox it needs to have bluetoof and I need to fit an amp and battery. Here's what I came up w/:

speakers $42.70
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd90-8-3-1-2-aluminum-cone-full-range-driver-8-ohm--290-210

port tubes $5.14
http://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-speaker-cabinet-port-tube-1-3-8-id-adjustable--260-388

filter parts $17.19
http://www.parts-express.com/jantzen-audio-090mh-20-awg-air-core-inductor-crossover-coil--255-046
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dnr-20-20-ohm-10w-precision-audio-grade-resistor--004-20

amp $16.99
https://www.amazon.com/INSMA-TDA7492P-Amplifier-Wireless-Bluetooth/dp/B01BTJZFY6/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1467991447&sr=1-1&keywords=bluetooth+speaker+amp+board

battery $15
https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP1250-Alarm-Battery-Terminals/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1468001600&sr=8-7&keywords=12v+sla+battery

battery charger $20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LICD2TU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATW4RRWB3JMSM

• handle $3
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JJ18WLK/ref=crt_ewc_img_huc_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
  
  
• optional $11 voltmeter + USB charger ports
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LUL054Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11A70Q280RHPK
  
  
• plus another ~$12 in other misc build materials
  
  After adding all that I ended up at about $130 per which is too high. How can I get that down?
  
  What if I used 1 driver per boombox instead of 2...do you think that would still sound decent or is it not going to get loud enough by itself?
  

I can’t speak to the F3, but I love my Canonet. I have an earlier model QL17 with a 45mm lens. I have only used the wein cell battery and my light meter has been very accurate. I usually point towards the ground to meter for shadows and then manually set my exposure.

Previously, I have only shot on canon DSLRs. I have really enjoyed working with a rangefinder. I did a first impressions post in the rangefinders subreddit and all of my posts on analog have been from my Canonet.

Just my 2 cents!

So easy and so worth it. When you install an aux battery, change the power source for your van's inverter to it.

Isolator Relay: https://www.amazon.com/Stinger-SGP38-80-AMP-Battery-Isolator/dp/B001HC6UJ0

AGM Battery: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C or Something comparable

Voltage monitor (very helpful!): www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS/ref=pd_bxgy_23_3

100A fuse

2-4 gauge wire

terminal ends

A voltimeter is very helpful in finding a wire that runs > 12v while the car is running. Have one, buy one, borrow one, etc. This was really the only challenging part of the installation because you have to test multiple wires for voltage.

Once you're done installing it you'll be able to comment on these posts and tell people how wonderful and easy it is too!

not sure what the recharge rate is but i would imagine unless your directly tethering to the terminals then you would be limited to the fuse amperage, typically like 15 amps on a cigarette plug i think?


back on the main topic, maybe something in this article might help? https://teslatap.com/articles/12-volt-battery-compendium/ they dont mention exact rates that i saw but it says "

>The Gen 2 DC-DC converter in the refreshed Model S accepts 220 to 430 VDC at 15 amps, and outputs 9 to 16 VDC. When outputting 12 VDC, it can deliver about 200 amps.
>
>The Model 3 integrates the charger and the DC-DC converter into a single package, the PCS (Power Conversion System)

​

IMHO i would just invest in one of those Portable power stations from the likes of Jackery, Anker or Goal Zero especially seeing as how the replacement battery is going for about $500 on Amazon.

Depends on your needs. Renogy has great kits at decent prices, you can get the parts a bit cheaper off Amazon but then there's no warranty.

If you're just looking to charge stuff and run a fridge and water pump, 200w is a good place to start. Get the panels, tape them up on the roof using VHB tape (seriously, it's the best way to do it without punching a shitload of holes in the roof, and the tape is extremely strong).

Follow the wiring diagram from Renogy for wiring up the batteries (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S1RT58C/ are the cheapest watt/dollar that you'll find for sealed batteries. I'd recommend sealed over unsealed, adding water etc is a pain in the ass and if you forget the batteries are dead) and the inverter.

Remember, every wire exiting a power source must have a fuse within the first two feet of wire, and every wire must be gauged to handle the max amp load it will face, and must be fused at less than that gauge wire is rated for. Follow those three rules and it'll all be safe if not necessarily pretty. Good luck, and feel free to ask me any questions if they come up!

I'd just put the biggest marine deep cycle battery I can fit as my starting battery, (probably group 31) and get a $100 lithium jump pack in case I ran it down.

Or

You can build your own goal zero type portable battery setup for$200-400. The Yeti 400 is a 33ah 12v AGM deep cycle battery with 300w sine wave inverter and a 12v plug in. It also has features like low battery alarm, displays power usage, and comes with an AC charger. You won't save much $ making it smaller/less powerful, but it will weigh less if you'd like to use a smaller than 33ah battery.

$50-150 for an AGM deep cycle 12v battery, 33ah

$75-150 for a 300w pure sine wave inveter, you can save more money if you don't need pure sine wave or 300w, or don't mind an always on fan

$25-50 for a 12v trickle charger to charge the battery up at home, if you don't have a charger already

$15 for a male to male 12v adapter to charge it from your car, or use your jumper cables.

$10-20 for a 12v socket or two, or a USB charger socket

$10-50 for a battery case to hold the battery and mount the inverter and sockets on

$30 on misc parts like voltage display, wire, and fuses

Sure.

• Inverter - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007NOUBA/
  
  
• 2 x 75Ah batteries - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZMVI46/
  
  
• Double battery box - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QJ2MBRD/
  
  
• 200amp ANL fuse & fuse holder - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079ZNGCDX/
  
  
• Wiring - 1 pair of 4AWG 1ft & 1 pair of 4AWG 3ft - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071H7D7SM/
  
  
• platform stool to keep equipment safely off the ground - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072KDDS51/
  
  Should be about $750 for lots of runtime, and compatible with any pump that uses 120VAC. The only open question I have is whether the eyeletts on the battery terminals are 3/8" or 5/16" so I know which wiring set to buy. I emailed the company and waiting for a response.
  
  I used this guide to figure out what I wanted to do - https://www.tripplite.com/support/how-to-select-and-install-inverter-charger-for-sump-pump
  
  EDIT: wow thanks for the gold, kind Internet stranger!

You'll want an AGM deep cycle battery, not standard car battery. Doesn't really matter what the terminals are like since you can always buy different terminal types. I bought two of these from Amazon for about $170 each before tax and have been happy with them. I've also looked into used lithium batteries from medical devices, but it gets more complicated because you need a battery management system.

It gets expensive if you build a 400ah system, so I would look more into energy efficient devices or solutions. I did a google search for raising chickens in cold weather and it actually says don't over insulate or heat the coop. You said oneconcern is the water freezing, so maybe just focus on that.

Make sure it's not in A mode when testing. If you don't have a battery it and it's in A it won't fire the shutter. It should when in manual mode though. If it works $50 is a nice price. It's a great camera. I like mine a lot. I stopped putting a battery in mine though, it's not really worth it and the meter probably need calibration. You can get a Wein cell from Amazon though.

• processing can remove some CA. Let's say half.
  
• kit lenses definitely work. There are diminishing returns buying the top of the line lenses. All lenses work better stopped down a bit, so when you are starting with f/5.6 you start to lose a lot of light. My favorite lens is my Canon 200mm f/2.8L prime, that I shoot at f/4 when I have time and want sharpness. I would get a PoleMaster before I got expensive glass.
  
• buy a Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery. They don't leak like the kind with caps you can remove to add electrolyte. I think all SLA batteries are "Deep Cycle" style battery.
  
• How strong are you? I started with a 33Ah battery, it wasn't enough when my laptop started needing 4A to charge. So I switched to a 75Ah 50 pounder like this.
  
• I got the HEQ5 Synscan GPS that came with a hand controller ... with a choice of 9 different rates at which you can slew the scope.
  
  

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: http://smile.amazon.com/GP-High-Voltage-Alkaline-Batteries/dp/B004SK9P0O/


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

Your charge controller is too small and you need an MPPT charge controller.
Forget the 100w pv modules look for 250w modules.
Battery is too small.
Inverter is too big, look for a 200w

If you are doing this for fun, fine. But if you are planning to save money just forget about it. An off grid system will not save you any money.

Edit: add more detail:

to clarify some. Your pump uses 1.728 kWh/day and your battery has just 0.36kWh of storage. Worse you don't want to drain the battery more than 50%.
http://everydaycalculation.com/ah-kilowatt-hour.php

So what you will need is something along the lines of this:
https://www.amazon.com/NPP-Rechargeable-Sealed-Battery-Terminals/dp/B01J94RBDG/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504614762&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=deep+cyclebattery+200ah

The Charge Controller is PWM and rated for 30amps. This is the output amps so at the battery voltage of 12V in your case. 30A X 12V = 360watts
What you need is something like this that is MPPT:
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Commander-Solar-Charge-Controller/dp/B01DCTMAK8/ref=sr_1_16?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1504615016&sr=1-16&keywords=mppt+solar+charge+controller
An MPPT CC can handle higher input voltages so you can make a string of higher voltage modules, other wise you have to keep them all in parallel and use fuses between the strings. The efficiency is higher as well.

Now you could make the whole thing simpler by going with a 24V battery which would require an inverter like this: https://www.amazon.com/COTEK-SK200-124-200W-Pure-Inverter/dp/B006W9I7S0/ref=sr_1_6?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1504615205&sr=1-6&keywords=200w+inverter+24V

You can buy them like https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-2000mAh-NiMH-Battery-Leads/dp/B077Y9HNTF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=12v+nimh+battery+pack&qid=1562450990&s=gateway&sr=8-1.
Only 2AH but thats x2-x3 the capacity of either your NiCad or that AGM you linked.

I see you can pickup 5AH C-cells off of amazon 6 for $25. $50 + some pipe (plumbing abs / old flash lights) , spring, wire and solder and you'd have yourself a 12V 5AH NiMH battery bank. Assuming real-estate is there.

Late Edit:

You can screw around with a 4 + a 6 cell holder like https://www.amazon.com/Velleman-BH261B-Battery-Holder-Terminals/dp/B0038Q8BI6/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=6+cell+battery+holder&qid=1562452039&s=gateway&sr=8-5 to sum up to 10 c-cells if you're looking for a cheap prof of concept before chasing down some nice polished Al or thick ABS pipe.

I added one of these batteries and am running them in parallel with the original. It will fit in the front truck with a little trimming. Also had to run new wires. Combined with the original battery (or even alone), it runs for days as the linked battery is almost twice the capacity as the original. Also is a bit faster as there is less voltage drop. People also recommend a better charger.

If you do get one, don't run it with the old worn out battery. It will drain the new one faster. If you wanted to run two, you could buy another oem replacement battery as the one I linked will not fit in the rear trunk.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KC39BE6

I have the same Jeep in red for my son. If you’d like to add a dual battery setup, this 12AH battery fits perfectly in the empty compartment on the left side under the hood. You can wire it in parallel with the existing battery for many many hours of fun.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A82A2ZS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Those look like 12V ~12Ah lead acid batteries, arranged in series for 48V total voltage.

You could buy replacements like this one (measure yours to make sure it's close in dimensions first).

Or you could replace it with a Li-Ion battery pack like this 48V 10Ah model.

As far as range with either of those options I would estimate around 15-20 miles at a speed of ~20mph on flat ground, large hills will reduce it a fairly large amount.

Yes, just a day sailor.

I found the book on Amazon so I'll definitely order it and give it a good read.

This wire is about $90 for 100ft of 12awg triplex wire.
https://www.amazon.com/Ancor-Marine-Grade-Duplex-Cables/dp/B000NV2AVS

And would a single 100Ah battery like this one be sufficient with a 50W solar panel for what I'm trying to do?
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/

Only real adjustments to this I'd suggest; for charging off the car's alternator, just go with a solenoid. It's cheaper, won't drain your car's battery at all (the smart isolaters do draw a small amount of power all the time), and if you can give your car a jump start if needed by turning the key and letting the house battery charge the car battery. And there's no downsides. Smart isolaters are a waste imo.


Also, save $30 and get the unbranded version of that battery. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S1RT58C

Same specs I believe so it's probably even made in the same factory in China. I've had great results with mine the past few years

Yeah, comparing the meter against another camera is a good idea. Is it really so expensive to mail it to the States? I've done crazier things. Sent my Pentax from Texas to Tennessee to have it overhauled, although I guess that's not as far.

As an alternate solution, these Wein batteries are specially designed to output the same 1.35V as the original discontinued mercury cells. They're expensive, though: http://www.amazon.com/WeinCell-MRB625-Replacement-Battery-PX625/dp/B00009VQJ7/ref=pd_cp_p_1

It would be pretty easy to build something similar for a lot cheaper. Pick up a used suitcase at the thrift shop, mount a 50w panel on the outside (much better than the 10W panel in the case you linked to.) Inside the case, mount a charge controller with USB, this 20Ah battery (again, better than the 16Ah in the other one), and this 500W inverter (not sure how big the one in the expensive case it, but 500W should be enough.) So for less than $250 and a little bit of build work, you can have a much more functional system (500% larger solar capacity and 25% more battery capacity).

Or 1200 watts for $180 or $0.14 per watt. Its slightly larger and you can use cheap chargers on it. Lithium maybe the future but the price point is too high for most unless what you're doing is really minimal.
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493771440&sr=8-1&keywords=100+battery+deep

What are you going to run at 120V? That is not minimal. Using an cell phone battery is great for charging cell phones, not much else.

Those all-in-one power setups always seem kind of expensive to me, for what you are getting. They are all about convenience. You could build your own system for a little cheaper. The storage and output are incredibly low, I thought maybe there was a typo, but it seems to just be a portable phone charger which is what you are looking for.

Here's a tiny 12ah battery, charge controller, and you can get a small inverter. You can beef up these components, or just expand as you go.

​

Honestly, I think a deep cycle yellow top Optima battery would serve you better. You could charge your stuff, and have a reliable starting battery. No fuss, no gizmos.

Here in Texas, the A/C system would pay for itself after a couple years. In consistent 95º+ heat I would probably spend more money and energy washing sweat-soaked laundry than simply paying to keep cool.

Thanks for the headsup on the batteries! Yeah the VMAX Tanks claim a 8-year float life for no more than 30% regular discharge. But after doing a bit more research, I'm extremely tempted to go with Lithium Iron Phosphate. The only thing is the cost and getting an accurate Pb Ah equivalent rating. Most (e.g. these) seem to be off by a lot.

Yes. u/funbob suggested the 20Ah version for only ~$5 more, but it has screw type terminals. The TS-180S draws 1.6A on standby, and ~20A on transmit. I would recommend at least three in parallel, which is 60Ah. It would take much longer to charge, but as a backup battery, that should be fine, because a 12v charger/maintainer allows you to leave it plugged in indefinitely, and it will always be charged and ready to use.

I found a couple of really good looking battery deals, what do you think of them? Are they sketchy?

https://www.amazon.com/LiFePO4-Lithium-Phosphate-Off-Grid-Applications/dp/B07QZGFP2S/?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/lithium-LiFePO4-Battery-Electric-Batteries/dp/B07LBFQGKX/?th=1

Do you think the extra $100 is worth the pre-packaged BMS on the 12v100ah options?

I am also thinking about getting the Maxxair 5100 through Amazon, the manual opening one. The reviews on Amazon seem to indicate that if the fan fails it's really hard to get service/replacement. Does anyone have experience with this?

What do you all think of just taking out the starter battery and replacing it with a lithium one, and using that for the house battery?

Thanks! Yup Mikey was always my fav. Here is the battery I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KC39BE6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks to all who replied!

So it got me thinking about how to do it.
I was hoping it would be simpler -- "Buy motor, CAD up some connectors, wire it up, write simple code, go". ( Even that is too complicated, IMHO... )

So, what I've decided to do is make a simpler robot that is closer to what I imagine in difficulty, then scale up.


Here's my BOM so far:

• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N3XZSTY
  
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/202488241409
  
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/111715988116
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K8E0WAG/
  
  I figure I'll make a more toy version first to see problems, then begin searching for a way to scale up. My initial hope is just to be able to haul the battery around on grass so I get a better sense of the problems I need to solve.
  
  Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower%C2%AE-12volt-Battery-Terminals-BLMFM12_5/dp/B0010Z4MDK/

Thats about the smallest I can find. 3.54" (L) x 2.79" (W) x 3.98" (H). If you really wanted to avoid drilling, I dont think it would fit in a normal size water bottle, but some sort of tupperwear with a screw on lid looks like it would fit in the water holding area if you have the talon I am thinking of.

Ive had ACK install a few things on my boats, and they usually only charge me for parts at the north Austin location. I cant imagine it would be much to have them drill the holes to run your cable where you wanted it.

Do you mean this one? I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to use a lithium 12V battery because they can't handle being deep-cycled.

Personally for local or camping (not air travel) I like the 35-55 AH AGM SLA scooter batteries. (SLA = sealed lead acid aka non-spillable) If you turn of heated hose & humidification (passover humidification is okay) they will last a few nights. See the ResMed battery guide for more detailed run estimates at https://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/articles/198103_battery-guide_glo_eng.pdf.

Basic list of parts you need:

• Battery https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K8E0WAG
  
• Battery box https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WCUIC4 (optional but nice to have)
  
• eyelet terminal cigarette adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G8WLW2Y (optional for ResMed)
  
• battery charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LWVEKS or similar
  
  Depending on which CPAP machine you have:
  
  
• ResMed DC adapter https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed-dc-converter-airsense-aircurve-10-machines
  
• Philips DC adapter https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-dreamstation-shielded-dc-cord
  
  Edit: the cigarette adapter is only optional for ResMed since it comes with a clamp adapter - Philips does not. I'd still get one though since it can bolt to the battery terminals.

I just ran the numbers and this setup (with slightly better batteries) could provide a max of 65 watts, so power draw isn't going to be a limit.

A Pi zero can draw a max of ~240 mA, with normal load staying around 170 mA and idle being at 120mA.

This would give you respective times of 72 hours full load, 101 hours on normal load, and 144 hours on idle, though this is running only the RP0.

If you run a SSD, then that's another 700mA and another 1500mA for a HDD.

This would pull your times down to 18, 20, and 21 hours for the SSD

and 9.94, 10.36, and 10.68 hours for the HDD.



This math was done off of the assumption of running on a 12v, 7.2A battery like this one which is similar to what is used in the guide.

Buy a couple large deep cycle batteries and a battery tender to keep them charged

For example, this battery:
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ is 100ah at 12v, which is roughly 1200 watt hours. For comparison, A 3.7v 20,000 mah phone power bank is 74 watt hours.

Get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Chanzon-Cigarette-Terminal-Accessory-Inflator/dp/B07CQMQL9L/ to allow using your car charger with a standalone battery.

Add a 100w solar kit: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Negative-Controller-Connectors/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ if you expect sunny weather during your power outages

Deep cycle batteries are available in the 90-100AH size (these look like car batteries but are maybe a bit bigger).

You probably need 4 of them (360-400AH). which would be around $200/battery. So not 3500 for batteries but more like 800?

(I used this battery as an example)

Bought this off Amazon, works pretty well.

I went way different then others and used 4D batteries. I got two NPD12 200ah 12v batteries (Amazon link) and have them in parallel. I built a battery box under the bed and they both fit longways along the width of the bed.

My trailer has a front storage compartment which is just in front of the bedroom so it was a short run out where the old battery was. I was lucky to have a 2,500 watt Prosine inverter/charger collecting dust so I just finished putting that in. If the batteries are half dead the Prosine will start charging at 90ah (rate goes down with time as the batteries fill up).

One thing to consider is upgrading your charger if you plan to use it and that's why I installed the Prosine. I have a generator on board and the 60ah charger would only charge the batteries at 20ah. After a night of running the tank heaters, etc. I'd be running the generator for 4 to 6 hours just to charge back up.

I tried an 80ah charger I had and it wouldn't charge more then around 20ah as well. I believe the trailer charger and other test charger simply don't output the voltage the NPD12 battery needs to start drawing more current. They'd charge around 13.2v according to my battery monitor where the Prosine will charge at 14.2 which is where the NPD spec sheet states the charge voltage should be.

I also have a single solar panel which will take care of charging in the summer months. The generator is used when we're camping in the cold winter so very hot to run the AC for a while.

You just won't be able to use the light metering. I have the same camera, and this is the battery I use. Works like a charm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009VQJ7/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00

The cheapest and easiest thing would be to buy a 4000 watt generator..

You've made it clear you don't want to run a generator. You'll want at least 120-200 amp hours in batteries. Pulling 30a, on one battery from 100% to 40% will kill that battery real quick. Having two will spread the load and extend the lifetime of the batteries. Wire a 10 amp battery charger that you plug an extension cord into every night.

Have a 4000 watt inverter, pure sine not modified, otherwise you will use 120-150 amps in battery power, just to get 60 amps into the scooters (massive efficiency loss). Have that hooked up to your two deep cycle batteries. Run a power strip and plug in all your scooter chargers. Then when your home plug in the shore power to recharge your batteries.

OR BUY A GENERATOR

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=agm+batteries&qid=1563890358&s=gateway&sr=8-5 Universal UB121000

I really really appreciate how you responded so fast! I just keep getting that feeling that i need to individually charge these. I originally purchased one string of 4 batteries used them for a bit with the solar (this was before being aware of the noises and using default settings) then a few weeks later got the other string of 4. I just went ahead and did all the wiring without first individually checking them.

Much appreciated! I'm in the US so that doesn't work for me, I've found a 100ah on amazon for the same price though. I think there's a UK alternative too

Thank you for this! I was looking for a nice cheap method. If I couldn't get a free one , is this the same? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R9PYEQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eUA2Bb75XQ07W

The other option is to pair these two items.

https://www.amazon.com/POTEK-Inverter-Digital-Display-Charging/dp/B01MQM4EDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494212043&sr=8-1&keywords=potek+inverter

https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP1250-Alarm-Battery-Terminals/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494212143&sr=8-3&keywords=12v+5ah+battery

Not my idea, taken from an older thread. Less elegant, much cheaper.

This is what I use, 100Ah https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZuLHxbJYEQCWX

Get a sealed deep cycle battery. No maintenance and worry free.

I don't power much. Pump for sink, roof fan, lights, and my electronics so 100 was enough for me. I would say 150 should do the trick and might be too much but you'll need to calculate all that to be sure.

It's only 50 watts. Assume 60 watts therefore 5 amps. For 3 hours, you need a 15 amp-hour battery. Double that for safety and buy 30 amp-hours or more.

When you buy it, post pictures of the power adapter and the label on it and I'll tell you more. A 100 watt or greater inverter should be fine, but there are other options.

This http://www.amazon.com/ML35-12-Battery-Replaces-Mighty-product/dp/B00K8E0WAG

might be more than enough. I'd try Walmart for one. Get Deep Cycle.

So if I got something like this (http://www.amazon.com/ML12-12-12AH-DEEP-CYCLE-RECHARGEABLE-BATTERY/dp/B00BWVVOTW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397411432&sr=8-2&keywords=agm+battery+12+ah) What kind of charger should I get? Would I hook it up in parallel or use the panal mount coax jack with an NC switch?

I'd get one of these and carry it on:

https://www.amazon.com/MOHOO-Bendable-Lightweight-Connector-Compatibility/dp/B06XVWPD7N/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1506055237&sr=8-11&keywords=100+w+folding+solar

Note that you'll need a battery (AGM/sealed) and at minimum a solar charge controller. I like these ones:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191QN7OO/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3008523062&pd_rd_wg=dnE5M&pf_rd_r=86BF01NK65JWJANM0TKG&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B0191QN7OO&pd_rd_w=BQDtY&pf_rd_i=solar+charge+controller&pd_rd_r=8YE8X122ADP49YFNBB11&ie=UTF8&qid=1506055373&sr=1

Appropriate battery:

https://www.amazon.com/ML35-12-Battery-Replaces-Mighty-product/dp/B00K8E0WAG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1506055420&sr=8-10&keywords=agm+battery

Yes! Two of these: Universal UB121000-45978 12v 100AH https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S1RT58C?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

If I had enough space I'd get more. When I upgrade to a van I'll probably switch to lithium batteries.

You'll need a 1.35v mercury-equivalent replacement battery, and not just something you pick up at Wal-Mart. Weincell makes a good one.

Many "small" UPSs use this type of battery: https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Scientific-SLA-7-12-Battery/dp/B000R9PYEQ

Basically the $150 UPSs are 2 of those batteries and a 750w inverter/charger with an automatic transfer switch. Any AGM lead acid battery is just as safe to have in a closed vehicle as a UPS.

Also considering getting one of these: 12V Lithium Battery for Tesla Model 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K4SCB1Y

A bit expensive. But I want lithium everywhere! :-)

Edit: Site for the battery as it’s less “expensive” there: https://www.ohmmu.com/product-page/12v-lithium-battery-for-tesla-model-3

What about something like this?

Any 12 volt battery will work.

It does! But you're gonna need these mercury voltage equivalent replacement batteries to get the right voltage and reading. Alkaline batteries are 1.5V if I'm not mistaken which will throw off the reading. Everything will work fine otherwise!

Universal Power Group 12V 100Ah Solar Wind AGM SLA DEEP Cycle VRLA Battery 12V 24V 48V https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EN.MDbTQK4FCC

KRIËGER 1100 Watt 12V Power Inverter Dual 110V AC Outlets, Installation Kit Included, Automotive Back Up Power Supply For Blenders, Vacuums, Power Tools MET Approved According to UL and CSA. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T564EIY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8O.MDbT2DB8FY

Any suggestions for replacing an old mercury px625 battery for a Canonet QL17? So far the best I can find is a Weincell but they're expensive and I hear don't last very long.

The color temp will be important in your application, check out these bulbs, they have the right color and are very forgiving of low voltage and reverse polarity and are sealed against moisture.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UAALVM6


These are 3w each and put the same light as a 60w light bulb, for 5 hours of run time you'll need 1.25 amp hours of battery per light bulb, you'll also need a low voltage shut off to protect the batteries.

Here's a battery that could run 4 LED's for 5 hours, https://www.amazon.com/EXP1250-Terminals-Chamberlain-LiftMaster-Replacement/dp/B0010Z4MDK

but I'd put in a 10ah battery for redundancy.


Lastly you'll need a solar panel and charge controller,
https://harborfreight.com/home-outdoor/home/solar/100-watt-solar-panel-kit-63585.html

Unfortunately it's not going to fit down the stack, you can lay them leghtwise along the top of the boiler.

I like trains

Very nice! If you want to make them truly portable add a shelf and grab two of these: EXP1250 12V 5Ah Home Alarm Battery with F1 Terminals // Chamberlain / LiftMaster / Craftsman 4228 Replacement Battery for Battery Backup Equipped Garage Door Openers https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WcyACbMX4FW7Y

You'll need a charger too for the batteries but should run them for hours.

would 12v batteries help?

http://www.amazon.com/GP-High-Voltage-Alkaline-Batteries/dp/B004SK9P0O/

This would be safest if you loaded it with 1.5V batteries https://www.amazon.com/CO-RODE-Battery-Holder-Switch/dp/B00VE7HBMS/

Another option is RC style batteries such as, https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-2000mAh-NiMH-Battery-Leads/dp/B077Y9HNTF/

Longest life you need a lead acid, https://www.amazon.com/NPP-Rechargeable-Battery-Security-Terminal/dp/B01FYJHP9K/ although you can get them smaller sizes too.

Right off the bat it sounds like your meter may be broken. However, there are a few things to check first before declaring that.

1. Make sure you use the correct battery. As /u/iamthejeff_ pointed out, the OM-1 natively takes a battery that is no longer available. A weincell or a hearing aid battery will give you the proper voltage. You don't 100% need an o-ring to center the hearing aid battery. The cap should do a good job keeping it on the contact tab.
   
   Once you've gotten a battery of the correct voltage you can test the meter again. One thing of note is that the meter movement itself is mechanical. It will respond to the aperture ring and shutter speed movement even if the meter itself is dead. The meter only reads from around 2EV to 17EV so make sure you test this in sunlight to see if the meter is actually functional. If you're in a lit room it's possible that the meter simply isn't sensitive enough for the light in the room.
   
   
2. If you have a regular OM-1 not the n or MD variant (though I think this MAY apply to some MD variants, I can't recall) then you can also take off the bottom plate by removing the 4 bottom screws and check the battery contact screw. On early models this was made of nylon and is easily broken. This can cause improper electrical contact and make the meter appear inoperable. If you have an n model they all used metal screws so this wouldn't be the case.
   
   If all of this checks out and the meter is inoperable then I'd say it's pretty safe to call your meter dead. If you have an interest in reviving the meter you can send it to John Hermanson to do a CLA on the camera. I'm pretty sure he can replace the meter cells.
   
   His website is here.
   
   However, given your circumstances that's probably too slow and too expensive.
   
   
   You can also simply use the camera without a meter. It's a mechanical camera and doesn't need the meter to take photos. You will simply need to employ an external light meter or use Sunny16 or similar exposure rules.
   
   If a light meter in-camera is a must then buying another OM-1 is quite cheap on eBay.
   

Depth of discharge.

I'm not sure how you get triple the cost for lithium, even if you can only buy from Amazon and only count up front cost. You're looking at 4x$170 lead batteries or 2x $500 lithium ones (in both cases the cheapest ones Amazon sells), which means $680 vs $1000. For triple the cost ($2040) you could buy name brand lithium instead (Battle Born or Renogy). And of course you're looking at 3000-5000 cycles to 90% DoD from the lithium rather than 300-500 to 50%... that extra zero really does affect the cost per cycle.

Lets do a quick run through so you can compare:

The Yeti 1250 is 12v 100ah and 1200 watts for $1250. It has 3 USB and 3 standard plugs + other ins and outs in addition to a solar charger.

A 12v 100ah deep cycle battery off amazon is $159. You would need a charger unit ($50 on amazon) in addition to some basic electrical wiring ($20-50). Then you would need an inverter (this one is $65 w/ three plug ins and two usb inputs) for 1000 watts. Last you would need to invest in a solar charger unit (often comes with solar panel kits and those can run around $30. So probably close to $350-400

So then however you want to store these (plywood box construction and a little DIY elbow grease) you can build essentially the same unit for about 1/4 the cost.

https://www.amazon.com/ERAYAK-Inverter-Alligator-Refrigerator-Cooler-8099U/dp/B019PXILXA/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1482364654&sr=8-17&keywords=12v+inverter

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482364350&sr=8-1&keywords=12v+100+ah+deep+cycle+battery

https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Regulator-Intelligent-Display-12V-24V/dp/B018ICLC3K/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1482364823&sr=1-4&keywords=solar+charge+controller

Something like this ?:

https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP12200-Rechargeable-Threaded-Terminals/dp/B00KC39BE6

I don't think that upgrading the main battery is really what you're looking for. You could get something small like this that could charge off the alternator (plenty of guides on how to do that) and provide enough juice for lights and phones.

those look like two 7.2 Ah batteries. I wonder if they're flipped upside-down.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00S1RT58C/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496172956&sr=8-1-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=12v+105ah+agm+battery

Two of these ? It looks like the battery I have i couldn't say for sure though

I found this site, http://amsolar.com, to have a lot of good product options and a whole of info for learning about solar in RVS or in our case vans.

For cheap batteries I was going with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00S1RT58C/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_2_9?colid=1TNL6GP91VEH0&coliid=I38YJA2080NKGR
Since it is 12V you don't have to stay even in numbers.

As far as solar don't forget your van has an alternator that charges batteries.How much it will charge depends on how much you drive daily, the size of the alternator, and the load demand from you vans accessories on it. Just make sure to get a battery isolator. This may lessen the amount of solar you need.

The thing with car batteries is you gotta worry about them flipping and spilling acid into other chambers. Probably won't be an issue, but it can be. Which is why I suggested an AGM. I used something like this https://www.amazon.com/ML35-12-Battery-Replaces-Mighty-product/dp/B00K8E0WAG

As a side note, to run it for a week, you'd need this battery (it weighs 64lbs/29kg and is more than 12in/30cm long). I'm sure you can see why trying to do it with a battery would be quite counterproductive if you were aiming for a discreet profile :D

If it were me, and I'd been having these issues, I'd replace both batteries just in case. They aren't expensive enough for it to be worth the risk in my opinion. Can't speak to your size constraints, but AGMs are nice because you don't need to top them off or worry as much about fumes. I got these ones for under $200 apiece and they've worked well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S1RT58C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What exactly do you mean contacts in the case?

And here’s the amazon link

WeinCell MRB625 Replacement Battery... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009VQJ7?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

The power wheel runs off of a 9.5ah 12v sealed acid battery, I actually bought a separate 5ah 12v battery to run the stereo and the lights also used these waterproof speakers so I can take out the stereo and hose it out when it gets muddy.

I'm going to be adding two new 12v batteries to the system in a parallel/series switching capacity to momentarily bump the voltage to 24v as a 'turbo button' option in the next couple weeks ;)

Thanks brother. I knew someone with more braincells than me this morning could quantify my skepticism. Compared to a motorcycle battery that's numerous times in size yet 30ish amp hours. That makes me think that 40K claim would be the equivalent capacity at 5v.

Im looking at this guy right here: ExpertPower EXP12200 12 Volt 20 Ah Rechargeable Battery With Threaded Terminals https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC39BE6/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_p5xJxbKETAZ92 (I don't know how to format links for reddit off the top of my head on mobile)

I think this was what guy here recommended for battery
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=pd_cp_23_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00S1RT58C&pd_rd_r=TEBEV98G9RP9FWKTHNHV&pd_rd_w=oGJXw&pd_rd_wg=atYQq&psc=1&refRID=TEBEV98G9RP9FWKTHNHV

hobbyking.com, buy a decent lipo pack and a lipo->5v regulator, relatively cheap. For the 24v, it's up to you, you can get there with rc packs, alternately just buy a ryobi lion trimmer or similar with the 24v packs, you can grab the power directly off the leads.

@24v you're talking around 4aH, so some of the larger lion packs will do, if you go lipo you'll need to run a few more in parallel which is tricky.

The 5v is the easy bit, there are 5v switching regulators everywhere, the 24v is the tricky bit. As I said, something like a ryobi will get you there fast. Otherwise your inverter system will work fine too, just more expensive really.

edit:
Actually, have you considered running 2 sla motorcycle batteries in parallel? http://www.amazon.com/Volt-Alarm-Battery-12v5ah-Hour/dp/B0010Z4MDK ? You can buck down to 5v from there, http://www.amazon.com/DROK-Waterproof-Converter-Switched-Regulator/dp/B00CESVORE , then run your secondary system off that. Seems cheap, easy, not too big and it'll work.

I've worked with mikrotik before, and done 802.11n work, curious what you're trying to do exactly, but assuming it's unidirectional wifi repeating, so you'll have to adjust the interframe spacing and a few other things while you're at it. Think mikrotik mostly uses the atheros chipset so you're looking at hacking the driver slightly (which is unpleasant in the extreme, had to maintain it at an oem for a bit).

You need a 12v battery coupled with an inverter, or a UPS.

You'll want to check the wattage on your device - that UPS can handle 300 watts. You're looking at several hundred bucks whichever way you go.

It really depends on what amplifier you use. If you use the Lepai, then a simple 12v lead acid battery will work. If you want to go with a little higher end amp, then you will likely need 2 12v batteries.

I'm open to suggestions, but I don't know of any new options that can beat them in that category. Used can be cheaper of course.

My normal recommendation is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S1RT58C these guys, which blow lithium out of the water watt per dollar, and the walmart batteries are even cheaper. I don't normally recommend them because they're unsealed, which is a pain, and includes the risk of destroying it early by forgetting about maintenance, but they are the same capacity for $70 less.

Lithium lasts longer than lead acid (7-10 years vs 3-5), and you can safely use 80% of the nominal capacity without damaging their lifespan instead of just 50% of it for lead acid, but the price difference is still too high to make it worth it.

Since lithium gives you 1.6x the usable capacity (80/50), and lasts twice as long, that results in a price premium factor of 2.6. Aka, a 100 amp hour lithium battery is worth 2.6x the price of a 100ah lead-acid battery. Or, saying that differently, you would have to buy 2.6 100 amp hour lead-acid batteries to get the same capacity over their lifespan as you would get from one 100 amp hour lithium battery over it's lifespan. Lasts 2x as long, and provides .6x more power for the same nominal capacity.

With that said, the lithium equivalent to that walmart battery would be a $260 100ah LiFePo4 battery.

Renogy sells a 100 amp hour LiFePo4 for $899. The cheapest sketchy ebay one I can find is $500 after shipping. Lead acid still rules for capacity by price, by far. Unless, of course, you have a better source than I do

I bought a 12v 12ah battery for my daughters jeep. I got mine at Frys electronics because I had bought her jeep at a garage sale and she and I were both too excited to wait but you can get them on Amazon too. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A82A2ZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Ka-mxbEQ3Q988
I put a 30 amp fuse inline after I cut the factory plug off also. Next project is to wire a couple up to try out 18-24 volts to see what kind of speeds we can get out of it.

for solar ventilation i use
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01N5L2GM9/ref=twister_B01DEE9AMM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

with 2 of these
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S1RT58C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this fan
https://smile.amazon.com/Fan-Tastic-01100WH-Endless-Breeze-Stand/dp/B0000AY2Z6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1485406650&sr=8-4&keywords=12v+fan

The batteries are AGM(https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1518147239&sr=1-3&keywords=100ah+deep+cycle+battery) and the controller is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015ZBODDS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The solar is completely separate from the vans electricity so that wont be an issue. The charge controller and the inverter both display the voltage but I also have a multimeter I can double check with. I set the battery type but I don't see any option for setting the AH. I assumed it wouldn't need to know the AH since it would just turn off once the voltage was high enough. I have the PV off set to 13.7.

You're looking for the Wein cell.

Why, the internet of course! Wein makes them and they work - I've got one working in my Nikon F right now and it's been there for years.
Here, or here, or here.

For solar:

currently running a rough equivalent of this and this

total comes in just over 1k and has nearly everything you need

https://www.amazon.com/WeinCell-MRB625-Replacement-Battery-PX625/dp/B00009VQJ7

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A82A2ZS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share is the battery I chose and this is the controller https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DDCH26N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Oug2CbTNATECY

Y que tal estas baterías?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C&ved=2ahUKEwja76SzjYXiAhVyTt8KHcoGBt4QFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1u9QKt1uQYFQ4Lq4Jcd4MN

this?
WeinCell MRB625 Replacement Battery for PX625/PX13 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009VQJ7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_odbLBbCN9WDAZ

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0748GKHZ8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518115896&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=80w+folding+solar&dpPl=1&dpID=51GlBo5rIvL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K8E0WAG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1518115963&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=35ah+battery+deep+cycle&dpPl=1&dpID=51TNL6zn1RL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G8WLW2Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518115996&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=12v%2Bbattery%2Bsocket&dpPl=1&dpID=511ZvmcpmsL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I thought of getting the yeti 150. But went with this instead due to 2-3x capacity, and cost. The only thing i didn't get was an inverter, which i don't need

THESE are the batteries I have.

I think you need to go back and consider how long you are wanting to stay in place should you need to generate your own power and triage your power consumption needs in order to carefully map out a solar/battery system. For instance, I have a 3200 watt inverter generator. I plan on keeping enough fuel to run it for a week at most should I need to provide my own power. Beyond that I've planned to leave the area for other areas where there are public services. If shit really hits the fan and there is no where for me to go, then I still see little point in stockpiling resources beyond a few days since I won't be able to defend it from my surrounding neighbors. Your neighbors aren't going to lay down and die while you ride out the apocalypse in relative comfort. A few days of in place resources and then I'm going to be mobile and use some of the survival skills I've developed over the years to try and make it.

You really haven't given any well defined power needs, so we'll just go from what you've said and make certain assumption in this exercise that illustrates how expensive power storage can get.

Each device you want to power will document its wattage ratings. Add them up. Watts = Volts Amps. Once you know how many watts you need to run everything, now you can start figuring out how large of a solar panel array you need as well as the size of the battery array you'll need to be able to power everything at night.

I may be wrong going forward, but this is how I understand it:

Here's a wattage chart.. You'll need to refer to the equipment you want to power to find their specifics, but this will put you in the ball park.

You'll notice "running" wattage and "surge" wattage. You need to be able to accommodate the surge wattage.

Just from what you mentioned, fridge, heater, microwave, you're going to need 5,000 watts to run all three at the same time. 5,000W = 120V 42A. But that's AC power. You need to work with DC power for the solar panels and batteries. Those are going to run at 12 volts. So now you need 417 amps to get 5000 watts from 12 volts.

Here's a 100 amp hour 12v deep cycle lead acid battery for $170. I'm not endorsing it, just using it as an example. u/noone512 noted a Walmart brand 100ah 12v deep cycle for $85ish. I'm going off the price of the battery I can find a link for.

You're going to need 5 of these batteries wired in parallel to get 417 amps. That's $850. It'll run all 3 appliances for 1 hour. If you want to run your appliances for the 12ish hours a day the solar panels aren't working well enough then you'll need 51 batteries wired in parallel. That's $8,670.

But wait! There's more! You can't completely drain your battery array because it'll shorten the life of it. I believe the rule of thumb is drain your batteries no more than 50%. Now you need twice the amperage. You now need 102 batteries at a cost of $17,340.

That's just the batteries which does not include taxes, shipping, electrical wiring, inverters, other components, safety devices, the solar panels, storage building, professional installation, etc.

I went with AGM deep cycle because they are cheaper, and do not require a battery management system, or an external battery to battery charge controller to charge off the alternator.

I used 3x100 amp hour batteries (https://www.amazon.com/100Ah-SOLAR-WIND-CYCLE-BATTERY/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466452542&sr=8-1&keywords=agm+deep+cycle).

That makes $460 including shipping for 150 amp hours of useable battery at 50% depth of discharge.

150 amp hours of lithium ion batteries is $1900 dollars. And then you have to factor in added cost for a battery to battery charger if you want to charge off the alternator.

http://www.lithiumion-batteries.com/lithium-rv-deep-cycle.php

If you aren't an expert on batteries, stick with AGM deep cycle. They are dead easy to use, and here is a video of me running a blendtec off them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqF7YbjVpnc

Sure, I will try to list everything here, most of what I got was from Amazon.

$107 HQST 100 Watt,12 Volt Solar Panel

$20 Charge Controller from Amazon

$90 1000W Power Inverter I went overkill for most on this, but I wanted to power a chainsaw if needed, otherwise you would only need to put in $37 for something really good

$11 Battery to inverter cables

$64 35AH 12V Deep Cycle Battery

$14 12V LED lights

$5 light wiring

$6 Switch

$38 Solar Panel Wires

$13 Battery Cables

$16 Conduit Pipe

$17 Unistrut

$13 For the Satellite Mount on eBay

Then figure $20 for various nuts an bolts.

So for me it came out to about $434, but considering that I paid high for my inverter, and over paid on cables/wire (you can use cheaper cables, but I went with the pre-set ones for convenience), you could do it for just over $350.

No

60 Watt Panel

Charge Controller

Battery

Light

12v Cig Adapter

Why not just buy a modern 625? You can get them in multi packs from eBay sellers too. Not sure I fully understand all the people using the wrong batteries and making notes of meter compensation.

Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel (New Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFMBF3G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bTBZDb1FFV9EY

EPEVER MPPT Solar Charge Controller 40A 150V PV Solar Panel Controller Negative Ground W/ MT50 Remote Meter + Temperature Sensor PC Monitoring Cable[Tracer4215BN] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07429RK43/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LTBZDbQ4VNMAZ

Universal Power Group 12V 100Ah Solar Wind AGM SLA DEEP Cycle VRLA Battery 12V 24V 48V https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AUBZDbEKFZ000

Depending on the stiip voltage....any small 12v leadacid battery.

Else, there are small A23 batteries that might power small amounts for a short time, they are also 12v


not sure what setup you want explained, because I'm not sure what you want. Strips have a + and a - terminal, or wires. +(red) goes to battery +, and - (black) goes to the negative terminal.

What are the dimensions? It's the right voltage for a car battery and it looks like it's car battery-sized, but 10Ah is tiny for a car battery. If it fits, you can get a much higher capacity car battery (here's one that's 12V, 35Ah). Odds are you can take that 35 Ah battery and run it 2-3 as longer than the battery you had in there. Otherwise, you can get another 12V, 10Ah battery (here's one) for cheaper. No matter what you get, try to remember to charge before the battery gets too low though because lead acid doesn't like being all the way depleted.

That battery pack says "12v" but it's totally different from what people mean when they say "12v battery". I'd go with something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Instapark%C2%AE-Black-Mono-crystalline-charge-controller/dp/B004FOGL0K/ref=pd_bxgy_86_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1T501PPQ3EGHT5JYTXX5

http://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP12200-Rechargeable-Threaded-Terminals/dp/B00KC39BE6/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1454045541&sr=8-13&keywords=lead+acid+battery

That solar panel comes with a charge controller, I think; forget the diy option, it's just not worth the trouble when you can get one on amazon for five bucks.

You haven't really specified how bad it will be if this thing runs out of power. I don't know where you're located but in most places in winter especially it's not uncommon to have basically zero sunlight for several days at a time. You need to spec your battery to run the load that many nights -- and if it actually goes to that full limit frequently, it'll trash the battery in short order. If there's any chance of the battery running out, you need something to disengage the load, otherwise it'll drain the battery below the point where it's damaged. Some solar charge controllers have that feature.

Blue Sea Systems 12 Volt Dash Socket - $8.99

Blue Sea Systems m-Series Battery Switch - $34.62

Smartlive LED String lights DC 12V 10m 33feet 100 LEDS,Warm White - $9.99

DROK Digital Multimeter DC 6.5-100V 100A Voltage Amperage Power Energy Meter - $17.89

ISWEES Dual USB Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Splitter 12V Car Charger - $11.89

Blue Sea Systems ST Blade Fuse Block - 12 Circuits with Negative Bus & Cover - $37.24

BEP Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V - $78.46

BESTEK 400W Power Inverter DC 12V to AC 110V Car Adapter with 5A 4 USB Charging Ports -$35.99

UB121000 12V AGM Battery 100AH - $125.21 + $34.69 Shipping = $159.90

I personally recommend going with these to avoid the lead acid issues ScreamingEel mentioned. I just checked camelcamelcamel and they have gotten as low as 125 a piece. They were actually 125 yesterday, which is a killer deal. I think I paid 180 a piece :(